Next up in our pre-Oscar-nomination coverage, The Atomic Nerd has a look at Uncut Gems.
Imagine this: you make a great movie. Everyone loves it. Robert Pattinson is in it. There is truly no way you can improve on it. And then you come out with another movie that makes the previous movie look awful by comparison. That’s what Uncut Gems does to Good Time. Good Time is literal perfection and yet this film is so good it makes that movie look bad. Uncut Gems is a truly one of a kind film that I beg you all watch.
I haven’t been this unsettled by a film since Hereditary, and I haven’t been this unsettled by a non-horror film since Annihilation. Uncut Gems is a 135 minute long anxiety attack and it is incredible. When the climax comes along I was both sweating and shaking and also laughing. Everything about this film feels real and organic, whether it be the perfectly paced comedy, the dialogue or Adam Sandler in general (who by the way, gives the best performance of 2019. Florence Pugh being a close second for Midsommar but I haven’t seen such an engaging performance in a film in a long, long time and if he doesn’t get nominated for an Oscar I will riot).
Anywho, Uncut Gems is basically Good Time on steroids, which seemed basically impossible, but it was. This is such a unique film and I’m so glad it’s probably going to be A24’s highest grossing because it deserves it. I hope the Safdie Brothers become a household name as they’re truly some of the best filmmakers of this era. If it weren’t for The Art Of Self Defense, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Booksmart this would be my favorite of last year and I can not wait to revisit it soon.
The Atomic Nerd some random dude on the internet with a passion for movies. Find more on instagram at theatomicnerd.